Michelin submits bid to become official F1 tyre supplier

This is a discussion on Michelin submits bid to become official F1 tyre supplier within Int'l Motorsport, part of the Motor-Sports category; Michelin has officially submitted its proposal to become the official tyre supplier from the 2017 F1 season. The French brand’s ...

Michelin has officially submitted its proposal to become the official tyre supplier from the 2017 F1 season. The French brand’s bid to become the sport’s tyre partner is predicated on the condition that the tyres be made bigger and more long lasting.

Pirelli has been F1’s tyre partner since 2011, and has been following the current approach of using more fragile tyres that cannot be pushed hard for more than a few laps. Michelin wants to change that, and switch from 13-inch wheels to 18-inch wheels, stating that these lower profile tyres will be more relevant to road cars.

While the drivers have expressed their frustration over the need to conserve tyres and thereby not push the cars as hard as they’d like to, senior F1 officials differ. Bernie Ecclestone has for instance, directly criticized Michelin; stating that the brand wants to make rock-hard tyres that could be “put on in January and taken off in December because they don’t want to be in a position where they can be criticized.”

Ecclestone has praised Pirelli’s tyres on many occasions and some reports suggest that he has privately told the teams that he expects Pirelli to get the contract. Pirelli's current contract will expire at the end of 2016.